Improvement in soldering-irons



A. H. B'URNHAM.

Soldering Irons.

No. 138,732, v Patentedmaywnss.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBION H. BUENHAM, 0E BEID'GETON, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SOLDERING-IRONS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,732, dated May 13, 1873 application filed November 1, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBION H. BURNHAM, of Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soldering-Irons 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to theletters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

Figure lis a side sectional elevation of my invention, the small rod or stud holder being indicated by pricked lines. Fig. 2 is a side view of therod or stud holder.

Same letters show like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a solderiu g-iron by the means of which the studs or small circular pieces of tin to be fitted in the tops of cans may be so firmly soldered as to exclude the possibilityfofthe' entrance ofA any air after the operationiis' performed, and'` at the same time to insure the preservation of the article inclosed and to perform the operation with greater speed and economy of solder than by using any of the various devices now employed.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The circular stud, having irst been-over the cavity in the top of the can, a strip of solder is then laid around its edge in a small groove prepared for the purpose. My soldering-iron a is then heated to the proper temperature, and, containing the rod or stud holder b, is placed over the stud in such manner that the lower end of the rod shall be over the minute puncture in the stud. The soldering-iron is then allowed to drop upon the ring of solder and is held in place by grasping the handle c of the rod or stud holder, and then, by rotating the iron once or twice by means of the non-conducting handle d, the solder is sufficiently melted to become/xed in its place. The heat from the iron rareies the air inside the can, which escapes through the minute puncture in the stud into the concave end'of the rod or stud holder, and from thence through the lateral slots g g into the larger cavity f in the soldering-iron.

My solderin g-iron is made with copper tipped with tin, and as long as it is a little concaveY at the bottom it may be either solid or cylindrical above. y

I am aware of devices where the solderingiron is made attached to an arm and capable Vof my invention may consist of a solid piece of metal in place of the cylindrical copper soldering-tool with the lower part thereof removable. This would make a ring of metal at the bottom of the iron, itting on over the same a little way. A short distance up the iron, onthe outside, a shoulder could be made for the ring to tagainst. Both edges of the ring could be sharpened or tapered for solder ing, so that when one edge-was worn out the ring could be reversed and the other edge used. The horizontal pricked lines, Fig. 1, show the shoulder. The inclined lines 'n with the bevel p show the form of the ring. In such case the cylinder a can be made of any metal and solid or hollow.

I do not claim the devices set forth in NG.l Numsens patent, June 11, 1872, 127,914-viz., the combination of a tube, cap, and holderas therein described. Neither do I claim the subject of Letters Patent to L. McMurray and It. J. Hollingsworth, April23, 1872, No. 126,071, which is for a cap pressing-block of soapstone with air-passages; the combination of the cap pressing block with a spring rod passing through 'a hollow stem and handle of the soldering-block; and a combination of the inf ternal and external stems and intermediate spring. Neither doI claim a tool for solder- -ing caps on cans,in which the soldering-block is thickened at its base around the solderingtip, or anged and formed on its bottom with a surface conforming to the top of the can. My invention consists of a rod, b, having a The lower end of a handle, c, and the small spaces g. This rod passes through the handle a and sleeve e. The handle d, sleeve e, and iron which performs the soldering operation, are all connected and revolve together when the handle d is turned. The rod b is removed when the iron is being heated, and one rod will serve for as many irons as one operator uses. Moreover, my invention' shows a reversible tip or end, which much increases the durability of the tool.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A soldering-iron, composed of the rod b 

